Leak detector



Dec. 19, 1950 F. G. PHlLo 2,534,830

LEAK DETECTOR Filed sept. 15, 1947 INVENTOR FMA/gai PHIL@ Patented Dec. 19, 17950 U'Nl TED STATES l PATENT GFF! CE Y LEAK DETECTOR Frank G. Philo, Long Beach, caiif. applicati@ 'september 13, 1947, serial No. 773,842

This invention relates to leak detecting devices and has particular reference to a device for detecting leaks in the cooling tubes of steam condensers.

Steam condensers generally comprise a vessel into which the steam is caused to flow, for instance, by means of a suction pump. The vessel istted with a multiplicity of metal tubes which pass through the vessel from end to end or from s'ideto side as the case may be. Cooling water is caused to flow through the tubes to cool the surfaces thereof and thereby to cause condensation of steam in the vessel. Occasionally leaks occur in these cooling tubes and this obviously causes serious trouble since the cooling water seeps through the leak into the steam chamber. The seepage or leakage may be very rapid if a partial vacuum is formed in the steam chamber by the action of condensing steam. In the case of marine condenser installations where salt water is used in the cooling tubes, it is especially important that contamination of the fresh Water steam should not occur. Heretofore, when a leaky tube is suspected, the condenser has to be shut down and considerable diiculty encountered in determining which of the multiplicity of tubes has sprung a leak before the same can be repaired.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a simple device for detecting leaks in tubes designed to operate in apparatus where there is normally maintained a pressure differential between the inside and outside of such tubes. Another object of the invention is to provide a simple device for detecting leaks in the cooling tubes of steam condensers. These and other objects will become apparent from the following description of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a general perspective View of a preferred embodiment of the device.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the device shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 shows a partly broken out view of the device of Fig. l placed in operating position in a steam condenser tube and indicating a leak therein.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, the leak detector I0, comprises a body portion Il which as shown,

is cylindrical but need not necessarily be so. One

end of the body portion I I is preferably provided with a tubular extension as shown at I2 which may be an integral part of the body portion II or a separate piece joined thereto. As shown, this extension I2 is preferably provided with serrations or ridges i3 which facilitates the'v grip- .i rubber or the like.

The provision of the extension I2 transfixing'- the frustoconical tip i4' represents a preferred embodiment of the invention. In such embodiment, the frustoeconical tip enables' the device to be used' ona variety of tubefsizes which normally have inside diameters ranging from about one and one-half inches to one-half inch and at the same time insure an air-tight seal. Thus the slope of the tip I4 may be varied as desired and there may be provided several tips having different slopes designed to t tubes within a portion of the specified range or any other in side diameter. However, as will be understood, the invention is not limited to devices provided with the extension and frusto-conical resilient tip, but embraces alternate methods by which the device may be made to fit tightly over the condenser tube, for instance, the provision of a rubber washer which may t partially within and partially outside the tube, or may be positioned wholly outside the tube.

The body portion II is bored through as at I5 to provide a channel communicating with both ends of the body portion. Preferably this channel has a restricted bore at one end as shown at I6. Over this end of the body portion II is attached flexible sac I1 which is made of rubber or the like material, thus sealing this end of the channel, Sac Il is preferably formed with nipple shaped portion I8. The open end of the sac I'I may be secured around the body in any convenient manner or may be of such dimensions as to have to be stretched into position thus maintaining placement by resilient tension. Suitable gripping or guard means as element I9 may be provided, if desired, and this may be knurled or ridged to facilitate handling.

Operation of the device of this invention Will become apparent from consideration of Fig. 3 in which 2l] represents a wall of a steam condenser penetrated by one end of cooling tube 2|. The wall 20 may be provided with annular grooves 22 into which portions of the tube are pressed as at 23 so as to fix and seal the end of the tube in the wall. To test a suspected leaky tube the testing device ID is nrmly pressed into the open end of tube 2|, the frusto-conical tip I4 providing an effective resilient wedge to seal the open tube and to maintain the device in position. A partial vacuum is then produced in the condenser body outside the. tube and if 'the tube hasfafleak. it, and the sac I1 will become partially evacuated and when this occurs, the nipple portionflY will collapse as illustrated. Restricted opening I6 of the channel l5 is effective in preventing a sucking back of the collapsed nipple portion of sac into the channel.

Assuming that the device was employed to detect a leak in an apparatus designed to operate at a, higher pressure on the outside of the tubes than on the inside, a leak in the tube would be indicated by a ballooning of the nipple portion of the fiexible sac.

While the leak tester of this invention has been described and illustrated with reference to the embodiment shown, other modifications and variations may be employed as limited by the following claims.

I claim:

l. A device for detecting leaks in tubes by indication of sub-atmospheric pressure therein comprising a body, a generally frusto-conical resilient tip rmly transxed by one end of said body and a exible sac attached to the other end of said body portion, said body portion having a channel extending longitudinally therethrough and communicating with the interior of said flexible sac through a restricted opening.

2. A device for detecting leaks in tubes by indication of sub-atmospheric pressure therein so comprising a body, a generally frusto-conical resilient tip rmly transxed by one end of said body, and a iiexible sac having a nipple shaped portion attached to the other end of said body portion, said body portion having a channel extending longitudinally therethrough and communicating with the interior of said flexible sac through a restricted opening.

3. A device for detecting leaks in tubes by indication of sub-atmospheric pressure therein comprising a body, finger gripping means attached to said body, a, generally frusto-conical resilient tip rmly transxed by one end of said body and a flexible sac attached to the other end of said body portion, said body portion having a channel extending longitudinally therethrough and communicating with the interior of said flexible sac through a restricted opening.

FRANK G. PHILO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,270,073 Them June 18, 1918 1,384,888 Carlisle July 19, 1921 1,988,198 German Jan. l5, 1935 2,118,703 Giaimo May 24, 1938 

